The Insignificance of a Name
by ShadowPillow
Summary: All it takes is far too many coincidences, desperation, and love for the world to start going wrong.


A/N: Okay, I told myself I wouldn't post anything for this story until I finished writing it. Unfortunately, that has not happened yet, but I'm just posting this first chapter to see what the reception is for it. Unfortunately, I will NOT be able to post more despite being like 6, well-lengthed chapters in, because this story involves plot and explanations for plot and some going back and forth in time, and I have to make sure everything lines up properly. I'm reasonable certain that this first chapter is fine on all accounts for that, since it's the first chapter.

Here, I'm popping out all the big guns – planning, forewarning, revision, plot, amnesia trope, siblings, mystery, politics (with competent players), magic, and dragons. I hope. Keep in mind, however, that I am far from being finished with this story, and thus the next update will be a long time from coming. Once it comes though, updates should be steady and reliable (once a week, maybe?). By the way, _WARNING_ for expletives. I think the most of it is just at the end of this first chapter, but its scattered throughout. There's a reason why this is rated T.

I do not own Danny Phantom or Harry Potter, but in any case, I hope you enjoy!

 _The Insignificance of a Name_

* * *

 **The Beginning**

* * *

 _By Merlin and all that is magical, please save us from my own stupidity. I am a senile old fool, meddling in business that I know nothing of. Perhaps I had good intentions – no, even that is dubious. It does not matter anyway. I have failed to protect the boy in my charge. I doomed him to a life of misery when there was no need for it. In my arrogance, I thought I could predict the future._

 _Yet, the question still lingers in my old and weary mind. Had I known, could I have prevented this? If Lily had told me that Harry wasn't her son, could I have stopped any of this from happening?_

 _I don't know. Perhaps I am simply a senile old fool, as others have told me many times before. Maybe I should stop my meddling once and for all. But no, that would be a disservice to the memories of all who died in the war. I must simply try again._

 _I will protect Harry from harm._

 _– Albus Dumbledore_

* * *

He penned the last stroke of his signature and leaned back heavily in his chair, closing his eyes wearily. Fawkes let out a worried trill, and the headmaster didn't have the energy to pretend all was fine, even to the phoenix.

"I'm a fool, Fawkes." When he spoke, it was the dry rasp of how a man of his age should have sounded. The ever-present twinkle in his eyes was long gone. "I never should have meddled."

 _Fool. Never should have meddled._ The words beat an incessant drum in his mind, almost cripplingly loud. Even the determined last words in his private journal had left him exhausted. Looking at them now, he couldn't muster the energy to fathom how just a minute ago, he had been so full of fire, life and a push to _do_ something, when now, he simply felt tired.

There was no point in looking for Harry. The Ministry must have kept him well hidden. And if they had done the blood wards properly ( _unlike him_ , his mind whispered), then it would be impossible for even Albus Dumbledore to find him.

Fawkes again trilled. He tried to smile at his old friend, and found his lips stiff and unyielding. Fighting against the simple gravity that held them down seemed a monumental task.

"I am fine, old friend," he said instead. "It is now Harry whom –"

Someone knocked at the door. Dumbledore felt an indescribable sense of relief.

"Come in!" he called. The door opened to reveal a shaggy-looking dog, led by none other than Severus Snape. The man's lip was curled as he looked at the dog in distaste.

"I brought your... mutt, headmaster." His dark eyes met Albus' own, and for a moment, there was a crinkle of concern there on his brow. They it was gone, the sneering mask back to replace it. "Would you be needing anything else?"

"No, Severus, that will be all." Aware his voice sounded a bit breathless, he added, "Thank you."

It was a testament to just how bad he looked that Snape immediately left the room without another word. No concern, no sharp comebacks, no angry demeaning of Sirius. Some might consider it a miracle. For Albus, it only worried him more.

"Sirius," he gasped, then shook his head to clear it. "Is it true?"

In a few moments, the dog became a man, the shaggy look transitioning with him. Soon Sirius Black, escaped convict from Azkaban, stood in front of him. This man, unlike Severus, made no effort to hide his concern, and rushed over to the headmaster.

"Is what true? Albus, what's wrong with you?" His face bespoke urgency.

"Is it true that," Albus began heavily, "that Harry is not Lily and James Potter's son?"

Sirius fell back as if stricken, and it was all the confirmation he needed for his old, aching heart.

"I... see," Albus said simply. "Thank you, Sirius. That was all I needed to know."

He waited for the explosion.

"All you needed to know!" Sirius burst. "But – How do you even know? What happened?"

"The Ministry contacted me last night. They said..." He paused, then shuffled through the many papers on his desk. It didn't take long for him to find what he was looking for, and handed the letter to Sirius. "It's better if you simply read it."

Hesitantly, the man took the letter and began reading, his face growing more and more incredulous. At last, he looked up from the paper.

"They took him? Just like that?"

Albus nodded gravely.

"I'm afraid it's entirely legal, according to some of our more... convoluted rules. Guardianship had been given to me, but after the Ministry discovered he was living in an abusive environment and the blood wards weren't even working..." He trailed off when he finally met Sirius' eyes, angry and inflamed. He was about to say something else, anything really, but then the man's hand slammed into the desk, ending civil conversation.

" _Abusive environment?_ " the man snarled.

Albus blinked slowly. Of course. He wasn't thinking clearly. He should have realized saying that would set Sirius off.

"The Dursleys," he offered finally in way of explanation, "were not the best of caretakers."

"But _abusive_?"

Albus closed his eyes to shield himself from the pain and the ire that would be on the man's face.

"I thought that it was the only way Harry would be safe. The blood wards –"

"Damn the blood wards! I could've taken him in!" And then, realization dawned. " _That's_ why he was so eager when I asked if he wanted to live with me! Damn it, Albus, why didn't you tell me!?" His voice echoed in the confines of the headmaster's office.

"I was a fool," he whispered. _Fool. Never should have meddled._ Still the words rung in his mind, an incessant drum beating.

* * *

 **The Beginning Part Two**

* * *

I stared at the man who was pointing a stick at my face. He wore a nice vest, with large bold letters reading "SECRET SERVICE." I had the thought that if it were really so secret, they would try hiding it better.

"Oh, shit," the man swore, quite loudly. "Shitty fucking shit." He took in my expression and lowered the stick. "Hey, kid, do you know who I am?"

I stared at him mutely.

"Um..."

The man swore again.

"Who am I, anyway?" I asked finally, once it got sufficiently awkward.

The expletives I heard that day were loud enough to stay in my memory forever.

At least the little of it I had left, anyway.


End file.
